The Solomon Islands are a scattered Melanesian archipelago in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. There are 21 large islands and numerous smaller ones with a total population of 285,766 in 1986. About two-thirds of school-age children attend organized schools. The literacy rate of the islands was reported at 17 percent in 1980. Approximately 30 percent of the 1,000 primary school teachers are untrained, and another 20 percent have received only minimal training. The National Library contains 22,000 volumes. Most other libraries are located in schools and government departments and are much smaller than the National Library. The bibliography contains 207 items written in English and relating to education and libraries in the Solomon Islands. (JB)